Portable liquid dispenser



Oct. 8,1957 A. J. GRAPHIA Ill, ET AL 2,808,965

PORTABLE LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Feb. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 An/hony JGraph/0,32

' Alfred W. Osborn JNVENTORS Get. 8, 1957 A. J. GRAPHIA m, ETAL2,808,965

PORTABLE LIQUID DISPENSER Filed Feb. 10, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 J.Graphic, .ZZZ' Alfred M. Osborn Anfhon y I INVENTORS 4062. BY W am 5MUnited States Patent PORTABLE LIQUID DISPENSER Anthony J. Graphia IIIand Alfred W. Osborn, Baton Rouge, La.

Application February 10,1954, Serial No. 409,342

1 Claim. (Cl. 222-175) This invention relates in general to dispensingapparatuses and more particularly to a portable liquid dispenser.

It has been found that the average attendant in ball parks, stadiums,and the like, can carry only a limited number of soft drinks in bottles.This is primarily due to the fact that the bottles themselves occupymore than the space of the liquid carried by the bottles and the weightof the bottles generally is equal to if not in excess of that of theliquid. Attempts have been made to provide portable dispensers for usein large stadiums and the like. However, these dispensers generallyinclude the insulated housings having a container carrier thereby, thecontainer being refillable with cold liquids. However, such containersare normally filled under generally unsanitary conditions and are notsuitable for carbonated beverages.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide animproved portable liquid dispenser which may be utilized for thedispensing of carbonated liquids in ball parks, stadiums, and the like,and which is completely sanitary.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved portableliquid dispenser which includes a liquid container of such aconfiguration whereby a plurality of the containers may be stored in aminimum of space whereby the containers may be easily shipped andrefrigerated.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved container forliquids intended to be utilized as a part of a portable liquiddispenser, the container including a filler and a dispensing pipe, thecontainer being so constructed whereby the filler and dispensing pipeare protected against damage.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved portableliquid dispenser which includes a liquid container having a dischargepipe provided with an automatically closed valve, the dispenser alsoincluding a dispensing tube which is selectively connectable to thedischarge pipe and being of such a nature whereby the valve in thedischarge pipe is automatically open in response to the connection ofthe dispensing tube thereto.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improvedmethod of cooling and dispensing carbonated liquids under the samesanitary conditions normally found in the distribution of bottledcarbonated liquids.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front perspective view of the portable liquid dispenserwhich is the subject of this invention and shows the general outline ofan insulated housing thereof and the means for carrying the insulatedhousing on ones back;

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Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional View taken through the liquiddispenser of Figure l and shows the general construction of both theinsulated housing and a liquid container carried thereby, on a portionof a dispensing tube of the portable liquid dispenser being illustrated;

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view takensubstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of Figure2 and shows the general relationship of the liquid container withrespect to the insulated housing;

Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the container carried by theinsulated housing;

Figure 5 is an enlarged rotated bottom perspective View of the containerof Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, showing the mannerin which a cover for the insulated housing is removably secured andsealed in relation therewith.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there isillustrated the portable liquid dispenser which is the subject of thisinvention. The portable liquid dispenser includes an insulated housingwhich is referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. Theinsulated housing 10 is generally rectangular in outline and includes anouter casing which is referred to in general by the reference numeral 12and an inner casing which is referred to in general by the referencenumeral 14. Disposed between the inner and outer casings 14 and 12,respectively, is insulations 16.

It will be noted that the outer casing 12 includes a bottom wall 13which has extending upwardly therefrom a front wall 20, a rear wall 22and end walls 24. The rear wall 22 and the end walls 24 are flat whereasthe front wall 20 is rearwardly bowed to conform to the generalconfiguration of a bearers back.

The inner casing 14 also includes a bottom wall 26, a front wall 28, arear wall 30 and end walls 32. The end walls 32 and the rear wall 30 arein spaced parallel relation with respect to their respective walls ofthe outer casing 12. However, the front wall 28 is disposed inrectangular relation with respect to the end walls 32 and in parallelrelation with respect to the rear wall 30. It will thus be seen that thethickness of the front wall portion of the housing 10 decreases thewalls at each center, as is best illustrated in Figure 3. Also as bestillustrated in Figure 3 is the relationship of the insulation 16 whichincludes an outer portion 34 and an inner portion 36, the portionsconforming to the general outline of their respective casings 12 and 14and being separated by an air space 38.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 6 in particular, it will be seen that thevertically extending walls of the inner casing 14 terminate short of theupper edges of the vertically extending walls of the outer casing 12. Itwill be further noted that the upper edges of the vertical walls of theinner casing 14 are outwardly directed as at 40 and terminate in anabutment with the inner surface of the outer casing 12. It will also benoted that the extreme upper edge portions of the vertical walls of theouter casing 12 are inwardly offset as at 42. Overlying and rigidlysecured to the upper surface of the outturned portions of the verticalWalls of the inner casing 14 is a resilient sealing strip 44 whichprojects upwardly above the upper edges of the vertical walls of theouter casing 26.

Removably secured to the top of the housing 10 is a cover which isreferred to in general by the reference numeral 46. The cover 46 has thesame general configuration as the cross section of the housing 10 andincludes a top wall 43 and depending flanges 50. Recessed upwardlywithin the confines of the flanges 50 is a lower oa wall 52 which is inspaced parallel relation with respect to the top wall 48. Disposedbetween the walls 48 and 52 is suitable insulation 54.

It will be noted that the upper edge portions of the vertical walls ofthe outer casing 12 telescope within the confines of the flanges 50 ofthe cover 46 when the cover 46 is in position on the insulated housing10. Further, it will be seen that the bottom wall 52 compressivelyengages the sealing strip 44 to retain the interior of the housing insealed relation. The cover 46 is retained in position by a suitablelatch means 56 carried by the adjacent portions of the insulated housing10 and the cover 46, as is best illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

The portable liquid dispenser also includes a liquid container which isreferred to in general by the reference numeral 58. The liquid container58 is generally rectangular in outline and includes a pair of spacedparallel side walls 60 which are connected at their ends. to end walls62. The container 58 also includes a top wall 64 which is recessed belowthe upper edges of the side and end walls. The lower edges of the sideand end walls are connected together by a bottom wall 66.

Secured to the bottom wall 66 is a downwardly projecting extension whichis referred to in general by the reference numeral 68. The extension 68is of the same cross section as the container 58 and includes a pair ofside walls 70 which are connected together at their ends by end walls72. The walls 70 and 72 terminate at their upper edges in inturnedflanges 74 and 76 respectively, and at their lower edges in inturnedflanges 78 and 80, respectively. It will be noted that the side walls 70and the end walls 72 form extensions of the side walls 60 and the endwall 62 respectively.

Carried by the top wall 64 of the container 58 is a handle 82 which ispivotally connected to the top Wall by a pair of loops 84 carried by thetop wall 64. It will be seen that the handle 82 may be pivoted to asubstantially flat position.

Also carried by the top wall 62 is a filler neck 86. The filler neck 86may be of the same configuration as the filler neck portion ofconventional beer cans or other carbonated beverage containers. Thefiller neck 86 is closed by a removable bottle cap 88. It is to beunderstood that the filler neck 86 communicates with the interior of thecontainer 58.

Carried by the bottom wall 74 of the container 58 is a discharge pipe90. The discharge pipe 90 is preferably in the form of one-half of asnap fitting normally utilized with pressurized lines, the snap fittingbeing of the type including a valve which is normally closed but whichis open during the joining of the two halves of the fitting.

It will be noted that the filler neck 86 and the bottle cap 88 thereofare disposed within the confines of the walls 60 and 62 and that thedischarge pipe 90 is disposed within the confines of the walls 70 and 72whereby the filler neck 86 and the discharge pipe 90 are protected fromaccidental injury.

Referring now to Figure 2 in particular, it will be seen that carried bythe bottom wall 26 of the inner casing 14 is a rectangular frame 92which is formed of angle members. The rectangular frame 92 forms asuitable seat for the container 58, the flanges 78 and 80 resting uponthe frame 92.

The bottom wall of the housing 10 is provided with an enlarged opening94 therethrough. The opening 94 is lined with the discharge pipe 90 ofthe container 58. The opening 94 is bounded by a depending annularflange portion 96 of the inner casing 14.

In order that liquids carried by the container 58 may be convenientlydispensed therefrom, the portable liquid dispenser includes a dispensingtube 98 which is provided at its end remote from the container 58 with adispensing valve 100. The dispensing valve 100 includes a handoperatedvalve arm 102 which is spring urged to a closed position so that theliquid carried by the container 58 is dispensed only when the valve arm102 is depressed.

The end of the dispensing tube 98 remote from the dispensing valve 100is provided with a fitting 103, which is in the form of the other halfof the fitting of which the discharge pipe is a part. As stated above,the fitting is of a conventional type utilized on pressure lines whichis automatically closed when the two halves of the fitting areseparated, but which communicates the two halves of the fitting when thehalves are connected together. Inasmuch as the fitting is conventionalit is not believed necessary to more specifically describe the featuresthereof including its valve construction.

In order that the insulated housing 10 may be conveniently transportedon ones back, the end walls 24 of the outer casing are provided witheyes 104 which are vertically spaced. Connected to the eyes 104 arestraps 106 which form a harness which is referred to in general by thereference numeral 108.

It is the intention of this invention for the containers 58 to bereturned to a bottling plant when empty. When the containers 58 arereturned to the bottling plant, they are thoroughly cleaned in the samemanner as conventional soft drink bottles and the like, prior tofilling. Then, inasmuch as the filler neck 86 is of a conventional type,the containers 58 may be conveniently filled on an assembly linenormally utilized for filling other types of liquid containers. Due tothe rectangular configuration of the container 58, it will be seen thata plurality of such containers may be conveniently shipped in arelatively large container without the loss of space. Further, it willbe seen that once the containers 58 have arrived at their destination,such as a ball park, stadium, etc., the containers 58 may beconveniently stored. When it is desired to serve the liquid carried bythe containers 58, they may be placed under refrigeration with a minimumof space again being taken up due to the size and configuration of thecontainers 58.

After the liquid in these containers 58 has been suitably chilled, oneof the containers 58 may be placed in an insulated housing 10. Theattendant selling the liquid may then distribute the liquid to hiscustomers. After the container 58 has been emptied, the attendantreturns to the place where the containers 58 are stored underrefrigeration and the empty container 58 is removed from the insulatedhousing 10 and a filled container 58 is substituted in its place. Thisis accomplished by merely removing the cover 46 and disengaging thefitting 103 from the discharge pipe 90.

Due to the particular configuration of the container 58, and since verylittle weight is lost either in the container 58 or in the insulatedhousing 10, it will be seen that an attendant may carry many times thequantity of liquids normally carried in bottle containers. Further,there is no longer the problem of collecting the bottles after a game,or the like.

It will be seen from the foregoing description of the method of coolingand dispensing a liquid through the use of the portable liquiddispenser, which is the subject of this invention, that at all times thehighest sanitary conditions are maintained. Further, it will be seenthat due to the configuration of the various components of the portableliquid dispenser, a larger amount of liquid may be handled with the sameequipment previously utilized.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will bereadily understood and further explanation is believed to beunnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction shown and described, andaccordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resortedto, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A portable liquid dispenser comprising an insulated housing, areplaceable liquid container removably carried by said housing, saidinsulated housing including an outer rigid shell and an inner casing,the inner casing being generally rectangmlar in cross-section and beingspaced from said outer shell, said outer shell having a curved portionfitting the back of a person carrying the portable liquid dispenser,insulation disposed intermediate said outer shell and said inner casing,said housing including a fixed bottom wall and a removable top wall, asupport within said casing above said bottom wall, said liquid containerbeing seated on said support, said liquid container having a bottomwall, side walls and a top wall, said side walls extending upwardlyabove said top wall, a filler carried by said top wall within the areadefined by said side walls, a carrying handle carried by said top wallwithin the area defined by said side walls, said bottom wall having adischarge pipe projecting downwardly therefrom in the space between saidliquid container bottom wall and said housing bottom wall, an opening 6in said housing bottom wall, a dispensing tube connected to saiddischarge pipe and extending downwardly through said opening, anautomatic shut-01f valve disposed between said discharge pipe and saiddispensing tube, and a dispensing valve carried by said dispensing tuberemote from said discharge pipe.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

